2014

The Best Practices Guidelines describe the course of action of European cartel and abuse proceedings (abuse of market power). With the proposed Guidelines the Commission wishes to enhance the transparency and predictability of these proceedings and to contribute to their smooth functioning.

2014

The Commission wants to facilitate the establishment of a new form of company known as "Societas Unius Personae (SUP)". A SUP is a private limited liability company with one share owned by a single shareholder. The Directive obliges Member States to introduce the SUP into their legal systems.

2014

The Commission outlines its strategy for health and safety at work 2014-2020. Accidents at work cause the deaths of 4,000 workers each year EU-wide and result in more than three million employees EU-wide being absent from work for more than three days every year.

2014

The Regulation prohibits "proprietary trading" by larger banks and permits the banking regulators to prohibit "trading activities" so that the trading concerned is only carried out by companies which are separate from the bank.

2014

The European Commission is not satisfied with the development of the transeuropean transport system. In its Green Paper the Commission presents its visison of a future TEN-T policy and three options for action. Obviously it aims at the establishment of a "priority network" instead of a "core network" in future. In this context the Commission wants the transnational projects to be chosen by rational and comprehensible criteria.

2014

The EU Commission opens up a consultation on possible amendments of the European Jurisdiction and Enforcement Regulation [“Brussels I“ / (EC) No. 44/2001]. It instigates a discussion on how to abolish conflicts of jurisdiction and impediments to the enforcement of court decisions in the international legal order.

2014

The EU wishes to combat late payment by businesses and public authorities. Therefore, it has submitted a Directive Proposal amending and complementing the existing Directive in essential parts. Particularly the enforcement of recovery costs is to be facilitated. In addition, special rules for public authorities are to be introduced for public authorities in delay.

2014

Vertical agreements are entered into by undertakings which operate in the production or distribution chain at different levels. Such agreements are generally prohibited, however, the EC Treaty provides for exemptions from the general prohibition. The Commission decides whether or not an exemption is given. In its Block Exemption Regulation (EC) No. 2760/1999 and its Guidelines, the Commission is presenting the conditions according to which an agreement is deemed in line with competition law. Said Regulation expires on 31. May 2010. This summer the Commission has submitted a follow-up Regulation and Draft Guidelines for consultation. The drafts serve to take into account the latest developments of e-commerce.